Races of Middle Earth - Character - somlor

[erilaz]

Brilliant! Wonderful detail and a really cool looking concept!
Great Somlor. :D

[Gandalf]

Cool concept, i like it!!! :thumbsup:

[somlor]

It's amazing how quickly you end up on the 5th page in this challenge! :surprised Time to start drinking some coffee.

Here are more sketches from Kevin (the rough on in the center is my own) and a start on the 3d head. I'm just too tired tonight to do the nose. Poor guy. Ears are also unattached, and I still haven't named his race yet. :(

I deviated from the sketch design a bit, most noticeably in the mouth. I still have quite a bit of tweaking so I imagine I'll bring it back in the direction of the original design eventually.

[somlor]

head pretty much finished. Althought now that I look at it again, I'm not happy with the side profile ...

[RandomTask]

Great Sketch and good start on the head.
The only thing I can think of about the side profile is the forehead sticks out a bit, or mabe thats just me.
Bring on the body!

[Joril]

I think you're straying from the concept.
It looks more human now, instead of more like an ape.
The face needs some reshaping. Mostly proportion-wise.
I added a little compo If you don't mind.

[somlor]

Joril: Thanks for the fresh pair of eyes! Your crits are much appreciated. :beer:

[BlueCougar]

I like the look so far. Gotta keep away from that cheap beer for a little while huh? :beer:

Great Start!

[OZ]

WOOOOOOOO :eek: BUT!!! why so little reply here!?
This guy are making an amazing job!! HEY!! COOL!! ur style is great....the concept is very good! The proportions! COOL COOL!!! Oh yessss.....hey guys ...jump here!!!:bounce:

[leigh]

Yeah, a great piece of work is developing here - I'm also surprised at the few replies you've gotten :surprised

A great looking creature so far :thumbsup:

[Remi]

A very clean model...great job somlor...keep going man...this'll be great when it's done...:thumbsup:

[Jeebus]

Looking really good so far somlor. To stay close to the sketch, I think I would bring the whole mouth area in a little bit so there isn't so as much of a slope on top and bottom.

Stick with that great sketch and you'll really have something.

[somlor]

BlueCougar: I'm swearing off the cheap beer until this challenge is over. only top shelf stuff from here on out. ;)

OZ, Leigh, Remi: THANKS so much for all the encouragement!!! :wavey:
I was also curious about the few replies. I was starting to think my worked sucked bad. :cry:

Jeebus: I think I see what you are saying about the mouth, and I agree with you .. that sketch rocks and I'm going to try my hardest to reproduce it.

Damn --- with all these fine artists I admire so much popping in on my thread, I really need to get crackin' ... :wip:

(s)

[mcube]

This is (in my totally uneducated opinion) great stuff, as I would have hoped from K2's sketch. :)

May I humbly suggest pulling up the tip of the nose a bit? I don't know if you already tried it and it didn't look right, but that's what sticks out at me from Joril's comp.

:airguitar burninating!

[somlor]

it's not much, but I started blocking in the body and worked a bit on the leg/thigh muscles ...

[MukMan]

Major killah. I really like the work you've done. It would be great if you were to talk more about the process of your head, I am working on a head too and it is quite a discovery.

[somlor]

Small update ...

http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/wings3dNow.jpg

Mcube: thanks for the tip. :p

MukMan: Thanks ... Well I started this model in 3dsmax at work, and so I just built it poly by poly using the "detail up" approach... something like: http://www.stickman.de/content/stuff/process/tutorials/model_2_0.htm

I decided to finish the model in wings3d. :applause:

Haven't settled on how I'm going to texture and render the final image though ...

(s)

[l_farley13_l]

Ha when you need replies just post more often ;)

I like the way the legs and hips are developing, but I think you'd better stray way from too much human anatomy with the chest - and the neck needs a bit of structure as well.

Looking forward to more!

Farley13

[mcube]

he looks much more comfortable on his feet now.

He does look pretty human around the chest somehow - I'm starting to see echoes of fauns (half-goat, half-man).

rock on - :beer:

[pigwater]

aces:beer: ..been followin and it's comin along great...like the lines of the face and anatomy very much:thumbsup:

[somlor]

farley13: Yeah that neck was a mess. I think I fixed it. The original sketch threw me off because of the hunched forward pose.

farley/mcube -- I kind of did envision him having a somewhat human upper body. I'm going to try to stylize it a bit and hopefully the textures will make 'em look more interesting also.

pigwater: Thanks! :D

Here's another small update ... At this point I am just sort of noodling with the muscle geometry and blatantly procrastinating the arms/hands and feet. :shrug:

http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/sculptingEdged.jpg

Comments, crits are always welcome! :D

[JONO]

hey somlor

the creature design is ACE. really nice wandering magical gypsy feel to him.sweeeeet!
if i have any comments so far it is that your geometry is waaaaay too complex, ands its causing the shape of your model to be very blocky and unnatural looking in many areas.or maybe your just trying to show off the power of your computer handeling all that data.hahah.

the direction of the contours seem spot on, just reduce the amount of polygons.i always fing bandglue helpful when doing this.

by the way - nice lightwave endorsements.hope newtek is paying for that advertisement.he he

[somlor]

JONO: Yeah, I guess I'm being a little careless with the mesh density. I'm sort of simplifying as I go along and trying to efficiently describe the muscles and forms. In the end I think the complexity will be justified.

I'll upload a smoothed version soon. Also, I am not using Lightwave, I'm using Wings3d, a free/open source modeler. The edged faces are sharp in Wings3d, and not smooth looking beziers like in Lightwave's modeler.

I like your avatar, btw. Did you make it?

(s)

[somlor]

Smooth version:

http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/sculptingSmooth.jpg

(s)

[rolhionjs]

hey ! very nice modeling ! :) keep it up ! Nice creature !:buttrock:

[Araval]

Great concept, also sketch is very good:thumbsup:
Yess, I like your modeling, in particular head... is very detailed
Generally excellent work - Keep that way:applause:
Greetz

[.overflowed]

Great work.

I like head very much keepthe rest on that level and you wil have great model.:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Virtuoso]

Nice model thus far Somlor...........It's looking to have a load of potential,and already has a interesting look and feel. I think my only minor crit or idea now is give him a bit more of a rounded and larger calf muscle. More muscle for those calves are needed to power those large legs. Just a thought for now.

Well fine work up till now,keep it up.:thumbsup: :beer:

[JONO]

yeah, i still dont know bout that geo.
maybe im just scared of it!!!!!!
wings ? is it good - is that what you use for work - do you work in 3d by the way?

um, yeah the avatar - i only did the colouring.a freind of mine drew the character ( Hennie Blaauw ).hes bril !
check out the whole character if you want on my 'site'.dont ecpect much else though. ive just started developing my own work at home.


http://www.geocities.com/alenskas/hamster_post_01.jpg

[somlor]

thanks for the comments peoples! :beer:

virtuoso: you're right about the calves. i'm on that.
jono: evil hamster is rad!

another small updated ... added hands and staff.

NO MORE PROCRASINATING!!!


:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[fig]

cool stuff, he's starting to looks really good :thumbsup: looking forward to seeing more of him progress...

chris

[somlor]

thanks fig! Here's some hands ...

http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/refinedHands.jpg

:p

(s)

[azazel]

Cool hand:thumbsup: not much to crit;)

[betelgeuse]

It's great to see this model developing in Wings - fun, huh?

I noticed the upper body seems more massive than the concept sketch, particularly the neck. Was this a conscious decision? I think the thin neck in the sketch goes with the head better.
Really nice job on the hands!

Anyway, the whole thing is developing nicely. Just wanted to lend my support and encouragement.

[somlor]

azazel: thx!

betelgeuse: yeah, I'm seriously loving wings3d. I exported to max for this next render and did a tiny bit of tweaking in it. i suddenly realized that after only a couple weeks now of real modeling in wings, that wings3d has such a faster workflow. :thumbsup:

thanks for the crits. I think you are dead on with the neck especially. I'm going to check that out ... the strong, thick neck changes his personality a lot. I've been trying to walk a balance with the upper body. I want him to look lean but not weak. I think once I model his rib cage that will show more clearly. (?)

Thanks a lot for the crit and encouragement. It's funny, I just popped over here from your wip female head in wings. looking great, nothing i could think to crit. :)

here's an update. his feet need work, i know. not sure what though. any ideas? feedback much appreciated!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/feetAndStaff.jpg

(s)

[azazel]

U are using Max... that makes mapping a bit more iritating. Maybe try to map him using wings' AutoUV? I can't use it, crashes every time I try, but maybe You could ;)

As for crit, loincloth looks bit to thick, not "cloth" like.

[Hellwolve]

Originally posted by somlor
here's an update. his feet need work, i know. not sure what though. any ideas? feedback much appreciated!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

I've got an idea for the feet: add an toe, and make the feet a little bit more flat, e.g. less thick.

[Gelfling]

only thing's that bother me are the length of the hands and the mass of te loin cloth

very good job and really nice on the feet

Good Luck

[somlor]

Azazel: we use max at work, so I play on my breaks and off hours. not sure I want to hang out at work and texture my character in max though ... although i've been known to do that. :surprised I thought you were using max too?... Lightwave then? I was going to try a combination of wings3d tools and something like ultimate unwrap and do test renders at work... maybe even try to fit an RMan rendererer in somehow.
the loin cloth needs help, yes ... once i find some decent references.

Hellwolve: great ideas. i'll try that later tonight. thanks.

Gelfling: i see your point about the hands. I wanted him to have really long fingers but i may have gotten carried away. i'll play with that. thanks for the feedback.

:applause:

(s)

[grstovell]

So here's you challenge entry! Good to see a fellow garager in these forums!

By the way... I am so impressed you were able to get going to fast in wings 3D and creating stuff this quality! Really like the workflow... (gotta get myself that new mouse.... mmh)

-Greg Stovell

[Eman597]

i loooooove:love: those hands and legs!!!!!

[somlor]

Greg: I just broke down finally and bought myself an optical mouse this month and I'm loving it. no more picking lint with my pen caps. but yeah, get a three wheel and start rollin' with wings3d and you'll realize i have no talent, wings is just a kickass program. ;)

ps - are you from new jersey? you're out here in the bay now right? just curious, caus i'm originally from philly.

Eman597: THANKS! you made my day :wavey: although i intend to work on those poor legs more.

[s]

[grstovell]

yup... north Jersey... close to NYC.
and I still can't get Wings to work the way I want it to... soon I hope!

-g

[Hellwolve]

I'm guessing that I am not alone when I say:

I want an update!


(Or did I miss something?)

[earlcrow]

great ! congratz

nice clean model :) go on .. wanna see more ... waiting for texture ;)


ec.

[somlor]

Thanks so much for the encouragement! :beer:

I'm actually struggling hard with the UVW mapping/unwrapping. It's putting me off. Maybe someone here can help me ... this is how I was planning to approach the different mapping types in max:

http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/texturingQuestion.jpg

I posted the same image in the 3dsmax section and the feedback I got suggested I steer away from the "box" type and use "Cylinders" instead. I think the problem here is that I am looking for a simple solution, but in reality unwrapping is just a gritty, tough, tedious task, no? On the other hand I don't want to get started on the wrong foot and hit a dead-end I could have avoided with the proper advice.

Any and all help/feedback appreciated! This forum rocks!! :buttrock:

[s]

[azazel]

Avoiding box mapping in Max is not a bad idea. Planars and cylindrical usually are enough. For the torso for example, I'd use 4 planar mappings: front, back, amd sides, and then sew as much as possible, to eliminate some seams. That sounds similar to box mapping, but in Max box mapping simply projects the whole map from 6 sides.... not very useful if I'm not mistaken.

[somlor]

thanks azazel. I ended up trying to do it with mostly cylinder maps. I'm having a bitch of a time with seams ... especially this one:
http://www.seanomlor.com/images/forum/texturingQuestion2.jpg

Should I try to take those thigh pieces and weld them to the bottom of the torso?

Any help appreciated.

[s]

[somlor]

Well I've given up on trying to texture him by the end of the challenge. :cry:

I need to study UV mapping more in depth and try it on a simpler toon character first and then I'll come back to this one. For now I'm going to model accessories and pose him for a final GI render.

[s]

[azazel]

I thing You should weld as much as possible, torso with thighs, calves wit thighs, hands with arms, etc.... looks like its possible ;)

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